3-039-094 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Land of Lorne: Dunstaffnage Castle, 1871. 'Dunstaffnage, overlooking Connel Ferry...is a place of great historical importance. It was the capital of the primitive Scottish nation; but that was in times when the natives of what is now called Scotland, being of very different race, had no notion that their posterity would ever bear the name of Scots...the castle of Dunstaffnage was seized by The Macdougall, Lord of Lorne, who was a partisan of our King Edward. It was recovered a few years later by Robert Bruce...It yet belongs nominally to the Crown, and the Duke of Argyll has the title of its keeper; but the real owner is Sir Donald Campbell. Part of the building which remains visible is ascribed to the thirteenth century, with subsequent repairs and additions. It stands on a lofty precipice of conglomerate rock, scarped on all sides to the perpendicular; the access is by a flight of steps, leading up to a wooden platform, formerly a movable drawbridge...Not much is left of Dunstaffnage, a fire in 1715 having destroyed most of the old building. It is about 300 ft. in circumference; the walls are 9 ft. thick, and were 66 ft. high, forming an irregular four-sided structure, each corner rounded, with round towers at three of the corners'. From "Illustrated London News", 1871.